Sheet-metal can.



I. E. SBXTON.

SHEET METAL GAN. APPLIUATION Hmm 1120.4. lala.

1,107,854, Patented Aug. 18, 19M

' rrnx sTaTns PATENT onirica.,

. `ISAAC EIFSEX'ION, OF WEST IJIEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS,

SHEET-METAL can.

l Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented A110'. 18, 1914.

Application filed December 4, 1913. Serial No. 804,631.5..

T0 all whom it may concern y 1 y Be it known that I, ISAAC E. SEXTON, a

`citizen of the United States, and a resident of West Medford, in thecounty of Middle` sex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew' and useful Improvements in Sheet-Metal Cans, of which the followingis a specification. i

This invention relates to sheet metal cans and the ends of the body, theseams being formed by a suitable seaming machine.

The object ofthe invention 1s to provide a rectangular canj the body andheads of which are of such form that the above mentioned seams may berapidly and economically made by a seamlng machine, the seams beingprojected outwardly from the planes of the body sides, so that whenseveral cans are stored or packedftogether they will contact with eachother only at the seamed ends and their sides will be held apart withoutrubbing contact and defacement of labels, the formation of the bodybeing such that the outward bulging of its sides by pressure of thecontents of the can against them will bc minimized and insufficient tocause contact between the sides of adjacent cans.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed todescribe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of two cans(partly broken out) side by side to illustrate the space that existsbetween the flat sides of thc bodies when the cans are either packed orset on a shelf; Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the adjacent corner portionsof four cans constructed according to my invention; Fig. 3 represents asection on line 3*-3 of Fig. 1, but illustrating four cans grouped as inFig. 2. Fig.` L is a fragmentary perspective view showing parts.of twosides of the can body; Fig.` 5 represents a section on line 5--5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 represents a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts in all of the views.l

The body of my improved can is composed of sheet metal bent to form foursides 10 connected by curved cornerben ds extending from end to endofthe body. Thesides 10 are inclincd outwardly at the ends of the bodyto form ila ring portions 10b between the corner bends. These flaringportions increase the area of the body at its ends and impart to thecorner bend portions 10c at the ends of thc body, a relatively longradius enabling the seams which unite the heads tothe body to bc rapidlymade by a seeming machine, as moreifully explained hereinafter. In accordance with my invention the corner bend `imrtions 10, connecting themajor portions ofthe sides 110, areof `mnch shorter radius thanthe bendportions 10c, the radius of the bend portions'lOIL being theshortestthat will permit the bending of the metal without cracking.These sho1tradius bend portions a-rerelatively stiil1 and inflexible sothat they reduce the outward bulging of the body sides 10 to theminimum. i y

The heads 11 are alike in construction as to their marginal portions,which are united to the body, one of said heads being prefer-` `ably,provided with a neck 13. A description of one head will thereforesuflicc for both.

The head has a flange 12, the base l?b of which is formed to accuratelylit the seat formed by the inner surface of the body portions 10b and10, said base having straight portions bearing on the flaring bodyportions 10, and curved corner bends 12EL bearing on the longer radiusbend portions 10. In other words, the corner bends of the head flanges`have a relatively long radius corresponding to that of the bendportions 10. The margin of the head flange 12 is adapted `tobeinterlocked with the body `end in the manner indicated by Fig. 1, orotherwise, by a seaming machine having a chuck engaged with the head andsuitable mechanism adapted to bend the outer portion of the flange intointerlocking engagement with the body. `The relatively long radius ofthe flange bends 12a `and of the body bend portions l0c enables theseaming machine to act rapidly in forming the curved portions as well asthe straight portions of the seam, so that the time required for theseaming operation is reduced to the minimum, and the cost of manufactureis considerably less than 1t would be 1f the radius of the seam bendswere the same as that of the body bend por bulgingof the sides 10, andeconomy of time in seaming the heads to the body, these being importantadvantages. Another advantage is the protection of the sides l by theprojecting ends formed by `the flaring body portions b and the seamsuniting the heads to the body. As shown by Figs. l and 3, saidprojecting ends space the sides l() apart when several cans are storedor packed as indicated, the spaces being so Wide that the sides l0 ofadjacent cans cannot possibly rub against each other and deface printedmatter thereon.

Having described my invention, claim:

A sheet metal can compris-ing a substantially rectangular body havingsides connected by vcurved corner bends, the major portions .of Whichare of relatively short radius, the maj or portions of the body-sidesbeing substantially flat and connected by the said short radiuscorner-bend portions, While the end portions of the body sidesare-flared outwardly between the corner bends, Wherel `Copies of thispatent may be obtained for by the radius of the end portions of thecorner bends is increased, and heads having marginal flanges seamed tothe ends of the body, said anges having straight portions connected bycurved corner bends of relatively long radius conforming to the radiusof the end portions of the body corner bends, the outwardly iaredportions of the body sides and the head flange portions engagedtherewith forming projecting guards at opposite ends of the can, wherebycontact between the iiat side portions of adjacent cans is prevented,the short radius of the major portions of the corner bends stitening thecorners of the body and minimizing the outward bulging of the l-at sideportions.

In testimony whereof l" .have aixed my signature, in presence of tivoWitnesses.

ISAAC E. SEXTUN.

l/Vitnesses:

A. '\/V. "HARRISON, P. lV. PEZZETTL five cents each., by addressing theCommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

